1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to label dispensers of the type in which labels with pressure sensitive adhesive are stripped from a dispensing strip having a release surface engaged by the adhesive. More particular, the present invention relates to a dispenser that is relatively inexpensive, simple and has a manually operated mechanism for dispensing single labels from the dispensing strip each time the mechanism is manually operated. In addition, the present invention relates to such a dispenser wherein the label stripped from the dispensing strip is held free of the dispensing strip for easy access by the user of the dispenser for direct application to the article to which the label is to be applied.
2. State of the Art
Gummed labels are in common usage. The labels are generally arranged side by side along a length of release strip. The gummed labels can be removed from the release strip and then adhered to the item upon which they are placed. There is a need for a simple label dispenser in which the labels can be easily and rapidly stripped one at a time from the dispensing strip. One such dispenser is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,896. The dispenser disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,896 is however a rather cumbersome apparatus in which the dispensing strip is advanced over a diagonal stripping edge, and the corner of a label is first stripped from the dispensing strip. One then grabs the corner of the label and holds the label as the remainder of the label is stripped from the dispensing strip. It would be highly advantageous to provide a simple, inexpensive, relatively compact dispenser that is operated by a lever or crank and which will dispense a single label for each manual movement of the lever or crank. It would further be advantageous to temporarily hold the stripped label in a position free of the dispensing strip for access by the user or for direct application to the article to which the label is to be applied.